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State scolds Delta for wasting bond money
State Controller John Chiang scolded San Joaquin Delta College in a statement released this morning for violating audit protocol when it published a draft report of the agency's critiques before a bond committee meeting two weeks ago.
The state office also announced today that it will send a copy of the findings to the California Little Hoover Commission, an independent oversight agency that studies dysfunction in government and through reports and legislative proposals comes up with suggestions for improvement.
The controller's office two weeks ago wrapped up an investigation into whether the college mismanaged $250 million of Measure L bond debt voters approved in 2004. Auditors concluded that the college misspent $11.5 million of bond money on athletic facilities and electronic marquees and that school leaders failed to abide by state laws that dictate strong oversight of voter-approved debt.
"This audit shows the board of trustees disregarded the priority projects reflected in Measure L and the college's master plan," Chiang said. "I am concerned the example set by Delta College could endanger voter-approved bond funding for future public works projects."
The audit also charged the college with inappropriately using $283,382 on accounting software shared with other colleges. The money paid for employees to travel to 18 other college campuses in, among other places, Las Vegas, New York and Hawaii.
The college defended the expense as legitimate and one that was repaid this summer.
But Chiang said that even if repaid, the fact that bond money was used for the software and associated travel in the first place "raised serious questions about control deficiencies and lapses in the oversight of bond proceeds."
The recently released report — the year's third major audit lambasting the college for mismanagement — also found the college guilty of violating the Education Code by extending bond oversight committee term limits. It also called the committee ineffective.
College leaders disagreed with all but one of the findings — the one that stated trustees overstepped their authority by extending term limits.
Read the audit and the college rebuttals in their entirety at http://www.sco.ca.gov.
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KenH wrote on Nov 20, 2008 2:07 AM:
Whoa Nellie! wrote on Nov 19, 2008 7:25 PM:
educator wrote on Nov 19, 2008 5:33 PM:
KenH wrote on Nov 19, 2008 1:23 PM:
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